Apr 30, 2010

As expected, Florida Governor Charlie Crist has declared his independence from the Republican Party, and indeed from party as such, having announced that he will continue his run for US Senate without a party affiliation, rather than fight his way through a GOP primary election that he was all but certain to lose to fellow career politician Marco Rubio . . .

Coincidentally, Crist was not the only candidate for elected office in the southeast to declare his independence from the GOP this week. In Georgia, Ray Boyd declared that he would wage an independent campaign for governor after refusing to sign the party's loyalty oath . . .

A movement toward political independence from the Democratic-Republican two-party state and duopoly system of government is now gaining steam up and down the east coast, from Maine and Vermont to Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut, and now to Georgia and Florida.

Considering our nation is in a time of political unrest, with millions of Americans unhappy with the direction our country is going under Republicans and Democrats, it is vital that these other parties have a level playing field to compete and are given the opportunity to choose their best candidates before the November elections. Democracy is about choices and government by the people, no matter what party they support.

The Sunshine News has a blog article on the Constitution Party US Senate candidate in Florida, Bernie DeCastro. He claims to be the most conservative candidate in the race, specifically calling out Republican Marco Rubio as too liberal.

Is Florida looking for a U.S. Senate candidate who is even more conservative than Marco Rubio? Bernie DeCastro, the Constitution Party candidate, thinks so. DeCastro was in Tallahassee today to fill out his paperwork to run for Senate.

Apr 29, 2010

Parties like the Libertarian Party and its rival, the Green Party, are composed of small but dedicated bands of followers who've spent years trying to build momentum against a system dictated by the two major parties. And as we see time and again, those major parties send crooks to the Capitol . . .

The Libertarians, and also the Greens, are distinguished from other parties -- like the Conservative, Working Families and the Independence parties -- because they're not afraid to run their own candidates. Instead of relying on New York's co-nomination law to maintain their existence, they rely on determined, dedicated activism. They raise new issues and offer new solutions to old issues.

This activity is good for our democracy and good for New York in general. I hope the Times Union will continue to report on the minor parties of our state as the general election approaches

After a raid on a student newspaper, the Libertarian Party of Virginia is calling for Rockingham County Commonwealth's Attorney Marsha Garst's resignation. On April 16, 2010, Garst arrived at the offices of 'The Breeze,' the James Madison University student newspaper, with police officers in a raid demanding photographs taken during an altercation between police and students at Springfest April 10. They told the editor, Katie Thisdell, if she didn't comply, they would seize computers and other equipment.

"This is absolutely chilling," says Bill Wood, Chairman of the Libertarian Party of Virginia. "It is the kind of thing you would hear happening in the former Soviet Union or Cuba, not in the United States of America."

Some Libertarians may be tempted to vote on the Republican or Democratic ballot, for a variety of reasons. Be advised of this: If you pull a partisan ballot, you are making a legal statement. Pulling a partisan ballot legally commits you to vote for a majority of that same party's candidates in the General Election in November.

So, if you take a Republican Primary Ballot in May, and you vote straight ticket Libertarian in November, you will be guilty of perjury, by law.

Also, if someone at the polling place recognizes you as a Libertarian, and you are asking for a partisan 'R' or 'D' ballot, and they challenge your affiliation, you may be barred from taking that partisan ballot, or reduced to casting a provisional vote. Only a member of that party can challenge you, but they can in the interest of protecting their party's private business.

Why is the challenge possible? Why can't people just vote however they like? Some think it is merely rhetorical when Libertarians declare the Primaries to be largely private, partisan political party business. This law is the proof that it is not mere rhetoric. Republicans and Democrats see fit to foist the cost of their business onto all of the taxpayers. They wrote it into the law as a bi-partisan effort.

There is no Libertarian ballot. We conducted our business at our county convention, at our expense. The law also dictates that, but as a matter of principle, that's the way we think it should be done.

Earlier this month Canada's chief electoral officer gave the Pirate Party of Canada party status, which means the burgeoning party can field candidates in the next election, raise money and issue tax receipts.

The party, which advocates copyright and patent reform, net neutrality and privacy among its key platform planks, first started in Sweden but now has branches in the U.K., Australia and many other European countries.Their site

WASHINGTON, DC -- The Green Party of the United States will hold its 2010 Annual National Meeting in Detroit, Michigan, from Thursday, June 24 to Sunday, June 27.

The Green Party's meeting will overlap with the United States Social Forum (http://www.ussf2010.org), which convenes in Detroit from June 22 to 26. Many Greens will also participate in the US Social Forum. More than ten thousand activists, organizers, artists, and others from the US and many more from other countries are expected to attend the Social Forum.

Jill Stein is running for Governor of Massachusetts. Green Change is proud to endorse her campaign. Her record of public service and passionate advocacy for healthy communities makes her an exceptional candidate for governor.

As Governor of Massachusetts, Jill will make extraordinary commitments to creating green jobs, pursuing real health care reform, saving public education, enacting fairer taxes, and cleaning up the environment.

In the likely four-way race, Jill Stein potentially could be elected governor with as little as 26% of the vote, which translates to roughly 800,000 votes. This is not beyond reach considering that she won 18% of the vote as a candidate for Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in 2006.

Apr 28, 2010

The fallout between now independent gubernatorial candidate Ray Boyd (I) and the Republican Party of Georgia is the subject of much conversation around the Peach State. In short, Boyd refused to sign an oath of allegiance to the GOP, so he was not allowed to qualify as a Republican on Monday. Here’s a quick roundup of the situation . . .

The Republican Governors Association, hoping to clear a path for Charles D. Baker, will launch a hard-hitting television and radio ad campaign today targeting state Treasurer Timothy P. Cahill, an independent who is trying to outflank Baker on the right in this year’s governor’s race, a spokesman for the association said yesterday.

First Selectman Tom Marsh will pursue his run for governor as the candidate of the Connecticut Independent Party, a move he hopes will ensure him a role in the statewide election debate this fall. Marsh, a Republican first elected to the town’s top job in 2005, also oficially changed his voter registration from Republican to Independent Party. The Independent Party was formed in Waterbury during the last decade, running candidates for mayor and board of alderman in city elections.

With Governor Charlie Crist pondering a bid for U.S. Senate as a No Party Affiliation candidate, now seems like a good time to take a look back at the history of third party and independent candidates in Florida.

Excluding the seemingly miraculous election of ex-Baptist minister Sidney J. Catts, the colorful “Cracker Messiah” who was swept into the governor’s mansion on the tiny Prohibition Party ticket in 1916, voters in the Sunshine State have never been particularly friendly to statewide candidates running outside the traditional “two-party system."

On the heels of health care reform, and ahead of financial regulatory reform, what is your response to the claim that the Obama administration and Democratic majority Congress are on a "march toward socialism"?

Rather than reply with a soundbite or slogan, Mr. La Botz was kind enough to provide an in-depth response, which is reproduced below in full, and with his permission.

Dan La Botz on "The March Toward Socialism":

Historically, socialism grew out of the labor movements of the nineteenth century, and its basic notion was the working people, the workers and farmers who formed the majority of the society, should democratically control the government and the economy for the benefit of all. The Obama administration, which came to power in the midst of a severe economic crisis, has demonstrated that its principal preoccupation has been to save American capitalism, the banks and corporations. Billions of working peoples’ tax money has been redistributed to banks, insurance companies and corporations, but we have not gained any control over those institutions. On the contrary, they continue to exploit working people and to block the road to reform.

The measures taken to deal with the crisis, first by the Bush and then by the Obama administration, such as the nationalization of certain financial institutions and the buying up of the stock of industrial corporations, are similar to those taken by other capitalist countries—from Japan, to Mexico, to France, to Sweden—during other recent crises. (I have discussed these issues at greater length in the articles “The Financial Crisis: Will the U.S. Nationalize the Banks?” and “The Financial Crisis: A View from the Left.”) Throughout history when there is an economic crisis, the capitalist state and capitalist parties have intervened to save the banks and corporations, sometimes by nationalizing them, and then later have sold them back to private investors.

The Republican and Democratic Parties, both dominated by the banks, insurance companies, and multinational corporations, serve their interests. Working people need their own political party, but such a party will only be constructed by an independent and militant social movement fighting for change. We need to build a powerful movement of working people that can demand that the large corporations be socialized, taken over the government, but democratically controlled by the people of the United States.

What would socialism mean? Here’s an example. The U.S. government now owns almost half of General Motors, so why don’t we turn those plants to green production—solar panels, wind turbines, hydrothermal equipments—to solve both the economic and environmental problems we face? We could as a people democratically elaborate a plan for the banks and corporations which we own, a plan to be carried out by workers collaborating with consumers, advised by environmentalists.

We would not run these plants or others for profit, but rather to take care of the human needs of the American people. We would not wage war to control the world’s oil, but rather wage peace to share our knowledge and experience to help the rest of the world achieve a decent standard of living. Such a sharing of economic know-how, raising the world’s living standards, would also the kinds of immigration issues we now face, because people migrate in search of a decent standard of living, and most wouldn’t be forced to migrate if they had jobs and security in their own countries.

The Obama administration proposes that a government run by corporations also regulate the corporations in order to save the corporations from destroying themselves in their chaotic struggle to control our nation's wealth and resources. Obama's government, like Bush's did, acts as a kind of super-executive committee of corporations, working to coordinate the corporations so they will be more successful in wringing their wealth from us. Socialists argue that America's working people make the country run, and working people should also run the country. There is all the difference in the world between those two visions and programs.

The 2010 Green Party of Ohio candidate for governor is Dennis Spisak of Struthers, Ohio, a career educator, whose thirst for elected office was quenched in 2005, when he became one of the Green Party's first candidates to win election to public office on the Board of Education for Struthers City Schools . . .

Meet Dennis Spisak, candidate for Governor of Ohio for the Green Party of Ohio.

CGE:Why isn't the mainstream media in Ohio writing about you?
SPISAK: Are they really not writing about us? Seems I have seen plenty of news articles reporting the fact that we are running for Governor.

CGE: Is there anyone you had to beat out for this spot? What are the basics -- funding, staffers, etc. of the Green Party in Ohio? Can the party point to any member who has won elected office in Ohio?
SPISAK: I am running unopposed for this office. I was endorsed by the Green party at their January 2010 Convention.The Green Party is made up of several state committee members and runs on a small operating budget. Currently, Brian Cummins has been elected as a Cleveland City Councilman and I have been elected and re-elected to the Struthers Board of Education where I am currently serving as Board President.

Apr 26, 2010

TAMPA, FL—The Whig Party seal reads “Acta Non Verba” or, actions not words. Paul Truesdell, leader of the Florida Whigs boils his party down to this; "True state's rights, true individual rights, and true respect for the Constitution of the United States." Truesdell claims they're the same principles which governed the Whigs of the 1800's . . .

But now, five U.S. congressional candidates are attempting to revive the Whig party in Florida. Craig Porter of Miami, running in Florida’s 25th District, is the first Whig to qualify on a federal ballot in a century and a half. . . . Truesdell says he and his fellow Whigs have been just as disillusioned with the Bush presidency as well as the Obama administration.

She's trying to take out the only Democrat on the [Yamhill] county commission, two-term incumbent Commissioner Mary Stern. In 2006, Starrett ran for Governor of Oregon on the Constitution Party ticket, and now serves as the Constitution Party's national spokesperson. In her campaign for Yamhill County, she's running hard on the right, as the print ad there demonstrates (view full size). She is, of course, being supported by local Tea Party activists.

the Constitution Party of Arkansas has begun a petition drive to get its candidates, including Mayor Frank Gilbert for Governor, on the ballot for the 2010 elections. They do not intend to run candidates for federal offices. Their goal is my goal- fix Arkansas first. One of the main platform planks is to get Instant Runoff Voting in the state to eliminate forever the fear of "splitting the vote" pressuring people to continue to vote for a "lesser of two evils" candidate. Last cycle 71% of state legislative races were unopposed in the general election.

Proposition 14 would end the method by which ordinary people can rebel against both major parties. "Top 2" systems have now been used in two other states, Washington and Louisiana. In both of them, the result is a November ballot with only Democrats and Republicans. Washington used a Top 2 system for the first time in 2008. For the first time since statehood, the November ballot had no minor party or independent candidates for any congressional race, or any statewide state race. Louisiana has used a Top 2 system for state office since 1975, and never has a minor party candidate qualified for the second round . . .

Prop. 14 supporters could have proposed a true open primary. That system, used in 21 states, eliminates the idea that voters register in a party. Instead, any voter is free on primary election day to choose any party's primary ballot. But each party does have its own primary ballot and its own nominees. Open primaries are constitutional, they are popular, they do not curtail voter choice in the general election, and they would solve the problems that Prop. 14 backers say they want to fix.

Our current party leadership spends money we don’t have to save money and our alternative party counters with a “money bomb” to D.C. directed by their national chairman? Is it odd to argue which political system is least corrupt at the moment? Is it witty, through discussion, to then squabble over which of these system supporting candidates are best funded, or least dishonest, or most conventional, or farthest from everyday people, or furthermost from responsible spending, or strictest in Constitutional values? Would it not be easier to actually have a responsible conventional candidate that will stand for the people over the party and the system?

Apr 25, 2010

I am asking for your help right now due to an urgent need for financial support to keep the excellent momentum my campaign has developed going.

This is a winnable race, and I want to fight as hard as possible to try and achieve a win because I know the good I will work diligently for once in the State House. . . . As most of you are aware of, I am running for Colorado State House and my campaign is going very well. Am maintaining the momentum begun and developed in January-March, with much more campaigning across the 6 counties of my district. You can learn about my plans for legislation in the State House, platform/issues, endorsements, media coverage and more at my campaign website: http://www.ElectChristineSmith.com

As you'll see at my website, I seek to and will fight hard to bring greater liberty and respect to the rights of the individual and seek legislation standing up to the infringements of the federal government. Without going into great detail in this letter, I'll just briefly share that I am continuing with strong advertising of my political campaign across my district.

ATLANTA, Ga., (April 23, 2010) - Late Wednesday evening, both chambers of the General General Assembly passed legislation allowing counties to join into regions with taxing power to create funding for transportation projects, similar to how SPLOSTs and other local optional sales taxes work now.

While recognizing that traffic is a problem in Metro Atlanta and the rest of Georgia, the Libertarian Party has opposed this tax in previous sessions, and continues to oppose it now.

Libertarians reject the concept that we can tax ourselves into prosperity, despite the claims of the so-called "Get Georgia Moving" coalition. This will be one of the largest tax increases in state history, coming on the heels of a deep recession.

The Ironton Tribune profiles the Libertarian, Green, Socialist and Constitution Party slates for the state's upcoming primary election:

Joining the previous lineup this year are ballots for the Constitution Party, Socialist Party, the Green Party and the Libertarian Party. While some, such as the Libertarian Party, have a nearly full slate of candidates, others are offering candidates for some statewide races but do not have any candidates for local races. Most Lawrence Countians are familiar with most if not all Democrat and Republican party candidates and platform planks. But some of the alternatives may have them feeling a little green in more ways than one.

New York’s quirky and cantankerous Libertarian Party on Saturday made Warren Redlich, a Guilderland Town Board member and attorney, its nominee for governor. Redlich won the contest at a party convention held in a small conference room at the back of the Washington Avenue Hilton Garden Inn in Albany. The 44-year-old candidate defeated publisher Sam Sloan.

Party spokesman Tim McKee said in a news release Saturday that among those whose names will be on the Nov. 2 ballot are Scott Deshefy of Lebanon for the 2nd Congressional District, Stephen Fournier of Hartford for state attorney general, Michael DeRosa of Wethersfield for secretary of the state, David Bue of Westport for state treasurer, and Colin Bennet of Westbrook for state comptroller.

Apr 24, 2010

On this morning’s edition of the Sacred Codcast, I was joined by Jim Henderson, and independent candidate for Secretary of State. Henderson is an attorney and first time candidate for office. We discussed the experience he would bring to the position and his plans for the Secretary’s office. Henderson noted that he supports changes to voting rules in Massachusetts that would allow for same-day voter registration, mail-in balloting, and early voting. We also discussed the challenges of running as an independent candidate, and what changes could make the electoral process more open to candidates outside the two-party system.

Eliot Cutler of Cape Elizabeth submitted more than 4,000 voters' signatures to the state Friday to become the first independent candidate for governor to qualify for the November ballot. Cutler, a lawyer who worked for former Sen. Edmund Muskie and former President Jimmy Carter, easily beat the June 1 deadline to turn in his signatures. He will face the Democratic and Republican nominees on Nov. 2.

Out of the 4,000 candidates battling it out for 650 seats in the election, 315 are standing as independents. Many of them have taken to the campaign trail to speak out against the recent MPs' expenses scandal. Graham Satchell reports from Swansea, where an independent candidate is fighting for votes alongside Labour, Plaid Cymru, the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats.

Apr 23, 2010

Independent activist news this week was def centered on young people. See John Opdycke's piece "Going Indy" and consider the fact that "fully 50 percent of voters aged 18-29 now identify as independents..." (Opdycke is the Chief of Staff for IndependentVoting.org/CUIP.) Let that sink in for a moment. Then pivot back towards the triangulationists featured in John Avlon's CNN oped "Bill Clinton Back and Looking Good". Pan to NYC independent youth contingent presenting 1,084 signatures of people under the age of 30 calling for the Charter Revision Commission to put a referendum for nonpartisan municipal elections for New York City on the ballot in the next election. Commissioners Hope Cohen and Kathryn Patterson dialogued with these young activists at the Brooklyn St. Francis College public hearing on April 20. WHICH by the way none of the local media covered... Hmmm.... You can view the testimony from youth and independents at HanksterTube.

Hats off to the organizers in California who are pushing for passage of Proposition 14, a referendum that will allow independents (aka "decline to state") to vote in statewide elections. The Hankster wishes you all the best. Open primaries that bring new voices (youth for example) to the table and new coalitions together could only help in this quite serious national and international political situation.

I'm one of those irritating people who can't seem to conform to the two-party scene. I don't call myself a "Conservative" because the definition is convoluted and changes from person to person. Besides, the best the Conservative movement can do is try and hold the line, and that isn't good enough for me.

I call myself a Christian Constitutionalist. I believe John Jay knew what he was saying when he called this a Christian nation and I believe Thomas Jefferson knew what he was saying when he said the Christian faith was the best thing upon which a nation can be built. I also know that this doesn't mean, as the secular humanists would have today's uneducated citizenry believe, that a "Christian nation" means a theocracy.

I'm fed up with the mainstream lies.

I believe the constitution for the united states of America is the framework and the walls of the government and its power and authority over the states and the citizenry. I don't believe it is something to be "interpreted" in convoluted and shadowy ways in order to marginalize the people and maximize the government.

I'm fed up with the megalomaniacs ruling over the citizenry (and their money) as if their rule is supreme and we are their serfs.

Finally, I am sick and tired of people thinking they have to vote for the lesser of two evils. I refuse to embrace a "moderate" simply because he is running against a radical. I am bone-weary of watching the power go to and from "Conservative" politicians while the country continues to spiral into the trash heap of history as all failed empires do.

That's why I googled "constitution party forum" and found this place, I am looking for others who are fed up with it, too.

Alexander: Proposition 14 is an attack on voter rights and freedoms -- The official summary of Proposition 14 to appear on the California ballot was prepared by California Attorney General Jerry Brown, the proposition was sponsored by California Lieutenant Governor Able Maldonado and co-sponsored by two Democratic senators, Lou Correa of Santa Ana and Lois Wolk of Stockton; however, PFP Governor Candidate Stewart Alexander says "Proposition 14 is undemocratic and may limit voter choices to one party."

On April 17, the openly Nazi group NSM held a rally at Los Angeles City Hall. Many groups, including socialist, anti-war and anti-racist organizations, mobilized to challenge their so-called right to free speech that motivates violence, racism and genocide against non-European peoples and the LGBTQ community.

The anti-fascist demonstrators, numbering about 1,000, were also protesting the city government’s decision to allow the Nazis the use of public property and resources, especially the hundreds of police, who threatened protesters while serving as bodyguards for the Nazis as they tried to incite the largely Latino/a crowd by stepping on the Mexican flag.

The Indianapolis-based Socialist Central Committee is asserting its claim as rightful heir to America’s historic socialist legacy. An odd thing has been occurring. Americans have historically been attracted to Socialism during years of financial distress; but for the past two years, Socialist Party-USA’s membership has been in rapid decline. This situation demonstrates just how off-message SP-USA’s activities have become. SP-USA, a New York City based special advocacy group, would have seen natural growth caused by the current financial crisis if the organization was an authentic socialist party.

A group of socialists connected with the original Socialist Party of America incorporated the Socialist Central Committee to fill the void being caused by SP-USA’s mismanagement. Today the Socialist Central Committee is absorbing concerned citizens across America that SP-USA’s special interest advocacy has alienated. The Central Committee, as the true heir to the Debsian legacy, is returning Socialism to mainstream America by focusing on a centric, economy-based message.

Socialists across America are familiar with the Eugene Debs story. A synopsis of that story has been republished on numerous socialist websites. The synopsis always ends with the same myth – SP-USA has carried on the Debsian tradition. But, that myth is false. SP-USA has been a destructive force to American socialism during its 37 years of existence.

U.S. Senate Candidate John Mertens will attend the Statewide Connecticut Green Party Convention on Saturday, April 24, at the Portland Senior Center, located at 7 Waverly Ave., Portland, CT. The convention begins at noon, and is free and open to the public. John will be arriving around 2pm, following the 2010 Urban Issues Forum earlier in the day at the State Capitol. Looks like he will be seeking the Green Party Nod.

I’m different. I do not want to be a career politician. I am not a Democrat or a Republican. I’m a Problem Solver. I want to force members of Congress to be responsible, and implement sustainable solutions to real problems. Please read the positions I present on this website, and spread the word to friends and family. I will fight tooth-and-nail for our future!

Unless I'm mistaken, Mertens is running on the Connecticut for Lieberman ballot line, established by supporters of now Independent Senator Joe Lieberman in 2006 following his defeat in the Democratic primary by Ned Lamont.

Michael White and wife Dawn Czarny came home to Kankakee County on Saturday, but this time it wasn't for a Bishop McNamara Catholic High School reunion.

This time they came down from Lindenhurst to campaign for governor at Saturday's Kankakee County tea party rally.

White, an Air Force retiree and business manager for a pediatric speech therapy clinic, has taken on the mountainous task of trying to get on the Illinois ballot for governor as a candidate of the Constitution Party.

That requires gathering at least 25,000 signatures in 90 days -- which started March 23.

outstanding "Class of 2010" candidates that the Constitution Party is offering the voters this year. To the left is California's CP endorsed candidate for Governor, Chelene Nightingale, and on the right is the Constitution Party of Ohio’s candidate for Attorney General, RobertOwens. Both are running full-time, high energy campaigns in their respective states.

Chelene and Robert are only two of the many candidates running on the Constitution Party ticket across the Country who make up the phenomenal "Class of 2010." From coast to coast, the Constitution Party is represented by first class candidates who are ready and able to change the direction in which our country is headed.

The "Class of 2010" includes hundreds of Constitution Party candidates who are ready to serve...NOW! It is OUR job to make sure that the American voting public is aware that these great candidates are running on the Constitution Party ticket. That's right! It is up to you and me!

As you will have no doubt read in the headlines today, the IMF has proposed levying two “global” taxes on the world’s banks to make sure those greedy guys don’t get us into trouble again. If that sounds dubious, it’s because it is. In reality what is being proposed, and has been falling into place for some time, is the framework for an unelected global authority with powers above and beyond those of sovereign governments.

In our featured article today we explain how the IMF’s so called global Financial Activities (FAT) tax on banks is nothing more than a bailout slush fund that would inevitably trickle down to the consumer, and also be levied upon all financial institutions (not just the big ones that commit massive fraud on a daily basis).

Apr 22, 2010

The poll conducted by Politico (via Rightosphere), asked a myriad of questions to Tea Party rally attendees in Washington, DC April 15. Of particular interest, those surveyed were asked to identify the one political party most closely aligned with the beliefs of the Tea Party. The Libertarian Party was way out ahead. The Republican Party did moderately well. The Democrat Party did poorly.

A Libertarian Party candidate for governor, Mike Wheeler, made offensive racial comments last week that make it clear he's not able to fairly represent all residents of the state. Given an opportunity to apologize to Hispanics for his remarks, he only managed to dig himself a deeper hole. He apparently can't admit that his actions were way out of line, so Wheeler should drop out of the contest. Libertarians would be better off without any candidate in the race.

The Arkansas Libertarian Party (ARLP) will celebrate the day when all Arkansans, regardless of race, gender, or sexual orientation, are able to enjoy full protection of their rights. Pulaski County Circuit Court Judge Chris Piazza has brought us closer to this day with a historic ruling. The ARLP fully supports Piazza’s decision to overturn Arkansas’ Unmarried Couple Adoption Ban (AUCAB) as it infringes on the right of privacy and is therefore unconstitutional. The ARLP also supports the decision by the Arkansas Department of Human Services to accept applications from unmarried couples who had previously been banned from serving as foster or adoptive parents.

On the steps of the State Capitol, Alex Snitker, a 24-year-old salesman from the Tampa area, announced his candidacy to run for the Senate seat as a Libertarian. Not surprising, smaller government is Snitker's campaign battle cry. "I am running on a Constitutionally limited federal government," he said at his official campaign kick-off Wednesday. "The first thing I'd like to do is abolish the IRS and replace it with a consumption-based tax system, so that no American would pay taxes below the poverty level." . . . "The second thing would be term limits," he says. "No politician deserves to be in Washington 30 or 40 years."

For restoring our Constitution - States can take back their authority to fight the PATRIOT Act, FISA, the destruction of habeas corpus, Federal restrictions on healthcare reform experimentation

For leaving Afghanistan and Iraq - The Guard must stop occupying other countries, instead protecting our freedoms, helping in crisis, raising their families here at home

For fair elections - Democracy requires more choices than wealthy Democrats and Republicans, no more corporations outspending the People, public campaign financing, instant runoff voting

For universal healthcare - Government's job is to protect and promote the General Welfare, and our right to life, liberty and pursuit of happiness

This is a grassroots campaign which will rely not only on electronic media but more importantly on the passion and creativity of countless people. As a challenger for one of two House seats, and an underdog by virtue of my independent status not to mention lack of name recognition, I need a lot of help from Vermonters I run into along the way.

David Cobb, the 2004 Green Party presidential candidate, gave a presentation at the UA Law School on April 13 describing why citizens should be working towards amending the Constitution. “I am a proud, patriotic and pissed off American,” Cobb said.

Cobb’s talk challenged the audience to answer a specific question: Should corporations have the same rights as individual citizens? The Supreme Court ruled in Citizens United v. the Federal Election Commission that corporations could use money to support or oppose election candidates.

“Corporations have assumed the rights of people. They have taken human beings rights, used them and have caused them to become undemocratic,” said CJ Jones, the event coordinator. “Is that where we want the country to go, and, if not, what do we do about it? The answer is a constitutional amendment.”

Robert Cohen, 76, of North Easton, says it is too early for him to tell whether he would cast his ballot this November for Jill Stein, a medical doctor and Green Rainbow Party candidate who is running for governor. Cohen, a psychologist who helps people with chronic medical conditions, such as diabetes and multiple sclerosis, met Stein on Sunday at the Caroline Road home of Brad and Carolyn Cole, who hosted a house party for Stein. Stein spoke to about 20 people in the Coles’ living room for more than 45 minutes, including Cohen, who asked what could be done to implement a single-payer system of health care in Massachusetts.

I'm not writing here a lofty essay explaining some deep, consequential philosophical divergence from the Green Party of Colorado . . . In my case, I still find attractive and persuasive the ideas and goals of the Green Party's 'Ten Key Values'. I am also very committed to the belief that the current political and governmental structures in this country have been irredeemably corrupted by corporate and other special interest money. I, therefore, still believe that it may take an effective and dedicated third party -- with strong adherence to rejecting 'big money' -- to reform and re-democratize our Republic.

However, as has been the case with many third parties in the past in the United States, finding the resources and tenacity to continue fighting the "two party system" is very difficult and discouraging most of the time. Without an overarching great issue, like the Iraq war debate in 2002, a third party tends to lose the volunteer energy that allows it to grow or even to survive . . .

Perhaps soon there will be a third political force in the country that will battle to honestly bring much needed reform and progressive change to our governmental institutions. If that happens, I'll be on board. In the mean time, I am now part of that persuadable cohort of 'independents' who decide elections -- have at me!

Well once again it is time for the citizens of Maryland to elect a governor. I wonder who the choices are. I remember in last election there were other parties that ran for this position. The Green Party and Ed Boyd, the Populist Party and Christopher A. Driscoll. However I do not remember hearing a lot about them or seeing much media coverage on them or on their platforms. I do kind of remember there was some debate sponsored by the media. However only certain candidates were invited to attend.

I would only hope this year all candidates are given a chance by the media, newspapers and TV to all have the same opportunity to address the public. I find it difficult to realize that my only two choices are going to be former Gov. Bob Ehrlich or Gov. Martin O'Malley. I do not remember anything that Mr. Ehrlich did for me as a citizen of Maryland. The only thing I can remember Mr. O'Malley doing is making sure that I could not smoke a cigarette in a bar while enjoying a beer . . .

So hopefully I will have more than two options in the next governor's race. If I don't, I can only guess that there is some higher authority or force working that that determines our choices. With these two, I guess I will just not have to vote.

According to Politics, as of today, the only declared third party or indy candidate for governor in Maryland is Libertarian Susan Gaztanaga.

Middletown, CT - Green Party of Connecticut officials announced today that Ruthann "Rae" Johnson has filed for the Connecticut State Senate race in the 9th district as a Green Party candidate. "Rae" Johnson is married with two children and lives in Middletown. She has worked in Office of Protection and Advocacy for Persons with Disabilities and currently works as a counselor in a group home. She has a degree in theater and dance and has been working on her Masters at Central Connecticut State University. She is active in her community, raising funds for the Amazing Grace Food Pantry and other charities.

Apr 21, 2010

An independent candidate hopes to make a late entrance in the race for the 58th District seat in the Illinois House. Mike Clark, a business owner from Lake Bluff, wants to unseat Democratic state Rep. Karen May of Highland Park . . . Clark said he needs to file 2,970 petition signatures to join the ballot in November. He said last week he has about a third of that total, with two months until the deadline . . .

He decided to run for office in January, motivated in part by the national Tea Party movement as well as the financial crisis facing Illinois government. “I think there is an opening for independents,” he said. “I don't see anyone stepping up, either Republican or Democrat, to improve the business climate in Illinois.”

the majority of those running have been in the government system for years, in one capacity or another, without lifting a finger to make a difference. Now, they want to be elected to public office. They've tired of being "behind the scenes" and want power over your lives. The gloves are off, and anything can be said -- as long as it convinces the voting public.

Money talks, and political campaigns are designed to sell a product. Candidates are repackaged, negatives are quashed, commercials and press releases are carefully worded to tell us "what we want to hear." It becomes a game. Whoever has the most clout, cash and media savvy will win. Many of you may not know who I am. I don't have the luxury of traveling the state and pushing my issues. My voice can barely be heard above the crowded field of candidates.

I don't have campaign funds to finance ads. The reason is simple: I work every day to provide for my family. That's what separates me from others in a very crowded field. I have a basic understanding of and appreciation for hard work.

From Broward Politics, in a story on the chances of Crist running as an independent:

John Anderson, the Floridian who may know more about running as an independent candidate, sees a better chance for Crist. Anderson won 7 percent of the vote in his independent presidential candidacy in 1980. Now 88 and a resident of Fort Lauderdale, Anderson is a distinguished visiting professor of law at Nova Southeastern University.

“I think 2010 may be one of those instances where people are tending to look a little bit askance at both parties,” Anderson said. “There might be a window of opportunity for an independent candidate here in the state of Florida given the kind of campaign that seems to be shaping up…. This would give a way out for people who don’t want to permanently leave either party but think it is time to teach both parties a lesson.”

It looks like the US Pirate party is getting more organized. I have not been involved personally for a while. I am more on the radical side supporting the platform of the EU party. The US party is more moderate on several issues.
I unfortunate can not make the meeting. I am very courious to hear what they have planed. If anyone who reads this goes please send me a link to any notes from the meeting:

"I invite you to join the IRC and be an active member of the Washington Pirate Party. We need you to help voice our concerns and show congress what we care about. Not sure how to join the IRC, see the discussions page or email washington@pirate-http://www.facebook.com/l/15a1d;party.us".
Event: First Meeting
What: Rally
Start Time: Tuesday, April 20 at 7:00pm
End Time: Tuesday, April 20 at 8:00pm
Where: IRC - server: http://www.facebook.com/l/15a1d;irc.pirate-party.us channel: #WAPP

After years of sporadic online discussions, the formal founding forum of Bulgaria's Pirate Party was held in Sofia on April 11 2009. Delegates from 20 Bulgarian towns adopted the articles of constitution and the party's political programme, the party said in a statement on its website. Like other similar parties world-wide, the Bulgarian Pirate Party identifies changes in the existing copyright and patent laws as its main reason for existence.

"Copyright and patent laws today lead to the harmful creation of monopolies, the loss of important democratic values, obstacles in the way of creating culture and knowledge and obstacles in the way of citizen access," the party's political programme said.

Membership in the Swedish Piratpartiet, or Pirate Party, has sunk to half its high of roughly 50,000 members in the year since the cofounders of BitTorrent tracker The Pirate Bay were found guilty of guilty of assisting copyright infringement. Membership has languished to roughly 25,000 registered members according to The Register, despite gaining official recognition in Sweden, Germany, and Canada. Though anti-Big Content sentiment hasn't universally subsided, it may be hard for the Pirate Party to sustain its initial political support. Membership surged last spring after the operators of The Pirate Bay were handed a guilty verdict by Swedish district court.

Apr 20, 2010

In a message at their Facebook page, Green Change reported that the Arkansas Green Party is offering to pay $1 per signature to help them secure ballot status. They will also provide housing. Contact Mark Swaney to get involved. The Green Party nation wide needs the Arkansas Green Party on the ballot come November. Here’s Swaney’s contact info, taken from the state party website: Mark Swaney (479-738-1077) — mswaney@madisoncounty.net

Delaware has dealt another blow to the basic right of any citizen to run for office. Congratulations. It has joined the rest of the country by keeping smaller third parties off the register for elections . . . There are a number of other political parties beside the big two, Republican and Democrat . . . All of them have every right to run for political office in this country. Just because a party is smaller or less popular than the bigger parties doesn’t negate its right to participate in the electoral process . . . But if you truly believe in the cause or message of a third party, then you are not throwing away your vote. You are voting for who you think will best run this state or nation.

In a press release the Arizona Green Party has announced that the AZ Secretary of State has officially confirmed approximately 24,000 petition signatures to put the Arizona Green Party on the ballot in 2010:

This will mark the fourth time in the 20-year history of the Arizona Green Party (AZGP) that they have achieved ballot status (previous lines were in 1992, 2000, and 2008.) “We can now look forward to running Greens for all statewide offices. Several candidates have already pledged to seek office, and more potential candidates are now being interviewed.” says AZGP media spokesperson Erik Andersen.

Four candidates are running for State Representative from the 34th Legislative District, Position 2. They are Democrats Michael Heavey, Joe Fitzgibbon, Marcee Stone, and Independent Geoffrey “Mac” McElroy. Independent candidate Geoffrey “Mac” McElroy believes the Democratic Party is too entrenched in the 34th District and does not offer its constituents enough options.

“The Democrats here are very open minded, as long as you have a ‘D’ behind your name,” said McElroy, 46, an Arbor Heights resident who owns Mac’s Triangle Pub at the corner of Delridge and Roxbury in the heart of White Center. McElroy earned his UW Masters Degree in business administration, then spent 10 years in the Navy and served in Desert Storm and Desert Shield. He was involved in anti-submarine warfare, and was a Naval instructor for three years. His daughter recently graduated from the United States Naval Academy. At Byrne Specialty Gases he worked his way up from floor-sweeper to operations manager.

Former Atlanta City Councilwoman Mary Norwood, who was only a few hundred votes short of being elected Mayor of Atlanta last year, has launched a campaign to become Chairperson of Fulton County. Norwood will be challenging current Chairman, John Eaves, as an independent, which will require her to obtain at least 22,000 signatures, or the 5% of the registered voters in Fulton County, by the end of June 2010, to get on the ballot in November's General Election.

Last week was a really good week! The Constitution Party attended many, many “Tea Parties” throughout the state (and I suspect nationally as well). On Saturday, April 10, we attended the Alton Tea Party.

Then on Thursday, April 15, “Tax Day,” I attended the Tea Party in Peoria, Illinois from 1 to 2:30. Actually, I think we were there until 3:30 talking with people. Then we moved over to the Bloomington, IL “Tax Day Tea Party.” I know we had Constitution Party Candidates, Michael White (Governor) and Tim Becker (Comptroller) attending the tea parties in Chicago. We also had Constitution Party candidate, Christian Falconer (U.S. Congress) and the full slate of Massac Country candidates attending tea parties in the southern Illinois.

It’s no secret that I am running for the U.S. Senate here in Illinois and I know I have a tough row to hoe to win. However, it is my desire that win, loose, or draw, that I leave a huge wake of Constitutionalists. At the tea parties in Peoria, Bloomington and Kankakee, I was afforded the opportunity to speak, not as a candidate, but as a Constitutionalist.

The Tea Party of Mississippi is hosting the first debate of the campaign season Tuesday in Southaven for candidates running in the First Congressional District race. The debate, which is open to all candidates, is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. inside the DeSoto Central High School gymnasium on Getwell Road in Southaven . . .

Independent candidates are A.G. Baddley, Hernando; Rick "Rico" Hoskins, Batesville; Les Green and Wally Pang, Batesville. The Constitution Party candidate is Gail Giaramita, a Mid-South health care professional, of Lake Cormorant. Libertarian candidate Harold M. Taylor of Hernando, who has run for office on the Libertarian platform in the past, also qualified to run in the First Congressional District race.

Raymond Boyd, the self-funded newcomer to the Republican gubernatorial race, is in a major dispute with state GOP officials over the party's insistence that he sign an oath pledging allegiance to the party. Boyd, 67, a commercial real estate broker who dropped $2 million of his own money into the race in late March, said Republican Party officials told him he either signs the oath or he can't run under the party's banner.

The dispute comes days before Boyd, who lives in rural Morgan County, is to make his public debut as a candidate at a debate Thursday and a week before qualifying opens for candidates. State GOP Chairwoman Sue Everhart said Monday that the oath is spelled out in both party rules and state law. "We've never had anybody who ran as a Republican yet object to it," Everhart said.

Apr 19, 2010

Last week was a busy one here in NYC for independents and youth, and independent youth: 2 public hearings for the NYC Charter Revision Commission, one in 'da Bronx on Monday and one on Staten Island on Tuesday, where young independent activists are speaking out in favor of nonpartisan elections. Then off to the National Action Network conference at the Sheraton in Manhattan where Dr. Lenora Fulani brought the house down at the Education panel discussion, calling on the conference to "close the discussion on the achievement gap," and start paying attention to scientific breakthroughs in human development, discussions that are taking place internationally but that US leadership refuses to investigate.

"...Here in the US, we are doing publicity tours with Newt Gingrich to promote public awareness of the problem. With all due respect to Reverend Sharpton and my sisters and brothers in the National Action Network, that is insufficient for Black America and for all America..."

Dr. Fulani is recognized as having created the contemporary independent movement with her historic run for President in 1988 when she became the first woman and first African American to ever be on the ballot in all 50 states. She ran as an independent, collecting over 1.5 million signatures nationally and a quarter of a million votes. Fulani is a co-founder of the All Stars Project, Inc. and founder and director of Operation Conversation: Cops and Kids.

Up this week, Charter Revision hearings tonight in Queens and Tuesday night in Brooklyn. Watch the April 19 Charter Commission Hearing Live from Long Island City, at LaGuardia Community College, via Webcast at 6pm Monday.

With the round-up this week is information about efforts by the Green Party of Texas to get ballot access in Texas for the 2010 election. If successful, these efforts may lead to automatic ballot access for Texas Greens in 2012.

Greens are running a candidate for State Comptroller named Ed Lindsay. There is no Democrat in this race. If Mr. Lindsay can get on the ballot and then win 5% on Election Day, the Green Party would qualify for automatic Texas statewide ballot access in 2012. With no Democrat on the ballot, the 5% goal is very possible.

There are Greens running for other positions for the Texas Statewide ballot and in other races in Texas. A petition effort is underway to help get these folks on the ballot. This petition effort is detailed at the link to the Green Party of Texas. . . .

In addition to giving Texans a true choice in the race for State Comptroller, Greens are offering a candidate , Paul Cardwell, for the District 9 State Board of Education race where there is also no Democrat on the ballot.

Welcome to the race, Demo Agoris. As you read here Sunday, Demo Agoris – a Libertarian Party candidate – will be on the ballot for the special election May 18 in the 12th Congressional District. He will go up against Republican Tim Burns and Democrat Mark Critz to see who will complete the late John Murtha’s term through year’s end.

Agoris would seem to be a longshot to beat out both of the traditional party candidates. However, we hope his presence in the race allows for more issues to be discussed and additional viewpoints to be considered. Actually, Agoris has been a candidate for the seat for some time, but was recently recognized by the Pennsylvania Department of State and will have his name on the ballot – right along with Burns and Critz. Agoris told reporter Mike Faher that he hopes to “bring to light the agenda of the Libertarian Party and how the left and right agenda is destroying America and selling out America to foreign investors.” We welcome the dialogue.

I attended my first (and probably last) Tea Party event here in Hot Springs on April 15. As a libertarian who is committed to less government and more personal freedom, I have followed the growth of the Tea Party over the last year with some interest. So, when a friend, who is a member of the local Tea Party, invited me to go along with him, I went in order to get a better sense of what this movement is all about.

Columbus - April 9, 2010 - Beginning Monday, April 19th, the statewide slate of candidates for the Libertarian Party will be conducting interactive meetings across the state of Ohio. Candidates participating will include: Ken Matesz - Governor, Marc Feldman - Attorney General, Mike Howard - Auditor, Matt Cantrell - Treasurer, and Charlie Earl - Secretary of State. Local Libertarian candidates will also be introduced and all candidates will be available for questions.

Apr 18, 2010

A Salina man running for governor was arrested Thursday after an apparent run-in at a "Tea Party" rally. Police say that 59-year-old Ken Cannon was arrested at his home in Salina Thursday afternoon. According to Police Captain Mike Sweeney, Cannon was involved in a confrontation with 61-year-old GregoryThoman, from Jamestown. Sweeney says that the confrontation did not involve Tea Party politics. Instead, it stemmed from problems Cannon had as teacher in the Concordia area. Thoman was part of the school board that Cannon had problems with.

A few months from now, a small minority of Michigan voters will go to the polls to pick the major political parties' candidates for governor. I've no idea who the winners will be. But I will go out on a limb and predict that the vast majority of voters are going to be disappointed in whichever pair is left standing.

By September, readers will be writing me every day to ask: 1) How did we end up with such a dismal choice? and 2) If this is the best Democrats and Republicans can do, why doesn't some reasonable independent candidate come forward to capitalize on voters' disenchantment with both parties?

Apr 17, 2010

"big government" never did stop growing during or after the "Gingrich revolution"; not in the 12 years Republicans — supposedly the conservative party — controlled both houses of Congress, or even in the six years whey had both the Congress and the White House under George W. Bush . . . now we have the Contract From America. According to its promoters, the planks in that platform were chosen by more than 450,000 votes from participants across America. The new list is presented as an expression of a grassroots uprising, It was "created from the bottom up," organizer Ryan Hecker told the New York Times. "It was not crafted in Washington with the help of pollsters."

But it will be ignored in Washington, with the help of pollsters, when the next election is over. For in the hope of seeing the promises of the "contract" implemented, voters will have to elect candidates who pledge their fealty to them. They will be, for the most part, Republicans, who claim to have fiscal conservatism in their DNA. Given the choices offered by our two major parties, people will vote for the "conservative" Republicans because they sound plausible and "they can win." They will promise an end to the growth of "big government" and will assure us there will be less spending and more freedom on their watch. And government will continue to grow and the Constitution will continue to be ignored, no matter which major party wins. Because nothing has changed since Crane wrote in the year 2000: "To work, the system requires at least one political party to take the Constitution and limited government seriously."

Tea party rallies drew crowds at scores of Tax Day rallies across Alabama as irate speakers called for smaller government and lashed out at Washington politicians and federal health care legislation. More than 300 turned out Thursday at the steps of the Alabama Capitol, where former Constitution Party presidential candidate Chuck Baldwin denounced the nation's ballooning debt.

What do tea party leaders lose when they support progressive, big-government Republicans? Credibility. The tea party movement prides itself on opposition to big government and big-spending politicians. Yet former Gov. Tommy Thompson was given a platform at Thursday’s tea party rally at the Capitol.

Last fall Thompson pushed for the health care bill that came out of the Senate Finance Committee. According to an article in the Washington Times, in his “Statement on Senate Finance Committee Passage of Health Care Reform,” co-authored with tax-and-spend Democrat Dick Gephardt, Thompson praised big government takeover of health care.

He said it would move down the path of providing affordable, high-quality health care for all and expand coverage for millions. Sounds like the same old Democrat Party propaganda. As anyone with common sense understands, the government cannot give high-quality health care to all without massive redistribution of wealth (socialism) and massively high taxes. This is not principled leadership nor does it hold our Constitution in high regard.

Thompson expanded the scope and size of government while governor of Wisconsin by strapping BadgerCare on the backs of taxpayers. It’s time for real change for Wisconsin and for tea party leadership to stop giving a platform to chameleon big-government Republicans like Thompson.
— Dan Mook, Randolph

Apr 16, 2010

Britain's first-ever TV debate between candidates for prime minister was hyped as a showdown between an embattled incumbent and his main rival, but it was a political outsider who stole the show. Liberal Democrat Nick Clegg, the leader of the country's third-largest party, still seems unlikely to become prime minister May 6. But his meteoric rise in opinion polls Friday could further scramble an unpredictable race - and even, in the longer term, shake up Britain's centuries-old two party system. Nearly 10 million people watched the debate Thursday, and polls showed Clegg was judged the clear winner. Some called him "the Barack Obama of British politics." Others said his solid and affable performance won their votes. One newspaper headline read: "Clegg smashes through two-party system."

More than ever, we need to end or limit partisanship and partisan bickering in our state and nation. The traditional rhetoric to this dilemma has been a pitch to support Brand X or Candidate Y. We have been promised that peace and prosperity would come skipping along behind. What is needed is not a silver-bullet party or candidate.

We need to change the way we do politics. We need to reform the political process that favors “We the Parties” and excludes “We the People.”

There are three key areas in which citizens can make a lasting difference right now:

1. Voice opposition to taxpayer dollars being used for semi-closed primary elections where voters get to choose among candidates of one party only for multiple offices.

2. Visit Utah League of Independent Voters to sign the petition to end the conflict of interest within the Legislature for perpetuating safe districts. Currently there are no safeguards to prevent election rigging through the creation of safe districts by the legislature.

3. Sign the Utahns for Ethical Government petition to strip the Legislature of its “thin blue line” practices of self-policing ethical misconduct.

Independent gubernatorial candidate Timothy Cahill says he found some common ground with the people attending Wednesday's Tea Party Express on the Boston Common. "Well, I think that many of the people I met yesterday were focused on more fiscal restraint, smaller government, lower taxes, private enterprise and greater individual freedom. Those are things I support," Cahill, the state treasurer who once was a Democrat, said this afternoon in a live chat on boston.com.

Cahill also says he got the sense from the crowd that people feel like their elected officials aren't listening and don't care what the people think. "They feel like government is being run by insiders and big corporate special interests. People want elected leaders to listen to their input and solve problems. I think that's a lesson that as elected officials, we all would do well to remember. We do work for them, after all," he said in the chat.

With a stroke of his veto pen, Gov. Charlie Crist declared his independence from Republican policy and politicians Thursday and set the stage for a go-for-broke independent run for the U.S. Senate. For Crist, such a defiant strategy would complete his political evolution. He called himself a ``Jeb Bush Republican'' when he ran for governor in 2006, and has governed as a nonideological populist.

Update: Correction, despite earlier headline, Christ has not yet declared his candidacy for any race.

In a statement that surprises absolutely no one who has any kind of grasp at all of what socialism actually means, the director of the Democratic Socialists of America stated that Obama, contrary to popular belief, is not a socialist - and that Sarah Palin is far more representative of his organization's beliefs.

Socialism has become a buzzword in politics lately, a word that has been thrown about by people whose political knowledge goes no further than reading Fox News headlines on their phones. Tea Partiers in particularly are especially guilty of dropping the 's-bomb', especially when used to describe Pres. Obama. Of course, socialists themselves beg to differ.

In an interview, Frank Llewellyn, the director of the DSA, and Billy Wharton, co-chair of the Socialist Party USA, both strongly refute the popular idea that Obama is a socialist. "We didn't see a great victory with the election of Barack Obama," Wharton says, " and we certainly didn't see our agenda move from the streets to the White House." Llewellyn also claims that the socialist label definitely didn't fit Obama during the 2008 presidential campaign. "To be honest, the most socialist candidate in the 2008 election was Sarah Palin."

Apr 15, 2010

Socialized health care" is on its way. The "socialist agenda" is taking over America. And best of all, Barack Obama, a "committed socialist ideologue," is in the Oval Office.
But Wharton, co-chair of the Socialist Party USA, sees no reason to celebrate. He's seen people with bumper stickers and placards that call Obama a socialist, and he has a message for them: Obama isn't a socialist. He's not even a liberal.

"We didn't see a great victory with the election of Barack Obama," Wharton says, " and we certainly didn't see our agenda move from the streets to the White House."

Obama's opponents have long described him as a socialist. But what do actual socialists think about Obama? Not much, says Wharton. "He's the president whose main goal is to protect the wealth of the richest 5 percent of Americans." He and others say the assertion that Obama is a socialist is absurd. "It makes no rational sense. It clearly means that people don't understand what socialism is."

While everyone complains about income taxes, one Arizona taxpayer is doing something about it: he's running for John McCain's Senate seat. Jerry Joslyn recently joined the Green Party. He believes Democrats and Republicans have created a tax system that is far too complicated, and grossly unfair to middle-class Americans. "Tax breaks and loopholes are 100 times worse than earmarks when it comes to out-of-control budget deficits," says Joslyn, "and both major parties are guilty of cutting special deals for special interests."

Joslyn will announce his candidacy, and his new tax plan on tax day, Thursday, April 15th. Under Joslyn's plan every taxpayer would get one $20,000 deduction and be taxed 24% on all income above that. That's it, no payroll tax, capital gains tax or estate tax. "Today," says Joslyn, "the richest Americans enjoy a lower tax rate than the middle class. That's not the way it was supposed to work; the Bush tax cuts were supposed to be across the board".

Warren Buffet, the third richest person on earth revealed that he earned $46 million in 2007 and paid 17.7 % of that in taxes. Meanwhile Buffet's secretary earned $60,000 and paid 30%. The average tax rate among Buffet's office staff was 32.8%. "Twenty-five hedge fund managers made an average of $1 billion dollars each last year and paid the 15% capital gains rate," says Joslyn. "Meanwhile mutual fund managers, who do the same job, get taxed at regular rates. Congress retains the loophole because hedge fund managers are very generous with their political contributions."

Howie Hawkins, who recently qualified for the Green Party nomination for Governor, said today that it was improper for Attorney General Andrew Cuomo to be investigating the recent purchase of nature preserve land in the Adirondacks, a purchase which the Attorney General approved before it occurred. Hawkins also criticized the Paterson administration for agreeing to ask Cuomo to launch such an investigation, as well as for diverting funding under the Environmental Protection Fund and Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative away from environmental programs.

The Libertarian Party's executive director says Thursday's tax-day Tea Parties likely will draw plenty of Republican support, and for those who supported George W. Bush, any claim to favor limited government and fiscal conservatism is hypocritical.

Says Libertarian leader Wes Benedict: "The people participating in these rallies are saying 'There's too much government spending,' but Republicans, decade after decade, have supported massive increases in government spending. During the George W. Bush administration, Republicans in Congress supported spending trillions of dollars on foreign wars, a massive Medicare expansion, and banker bailouts. Republicans doubled the budget and doubled the federal debt. Why can't the Republican Party just admit that it loves big government?"

As a Libertarian, Randy Reynolds said his appearance at Friday’s county Democratic Party meeting was “a missionary effort,” but it’s a trip more to find common ground than converts. Reynolds, chairman of the Rockdale County Libertarian Party, will be the guest speaker of the Rockdale County Democratic Party at 6:30 p.m. Friday at the J.P. Carr Community Room, located at 981 Taylor St.

Reynolds said he plans to do an informative talk on the Libertarian Party, policy advocacy and the party’s current ballot access. “I will be trying get people on board intellectually and emotionally, and then ask some rhetorical questions,” he said. Reynolds’ talk with local Democrats stemmed from an effort between him and Rockdale Democratic Chairman Stan Williams to search for common ground among them on, at least, local issues. Williams was the guest speaker at the Libertarians’ party meeting recently. Friday’s meeting will return the favor, Reynolds said. Reynolds noted recent national polls that show Democrats and Republicans sympathize equally on issues the Libertarians advocate.

Yesterday, I published the Green Party's response to my questionnaire. Today, I am giving that of the Libertarian Party.

1. What do you consider to be the most important statewide issues in this year’s campaign?
The single most important issue is the economy. Ohio's unemployment rate in February was 10.9%, the highest it has been in a decade, and a full 1.2 percentage points higher than the US as a whole. The rate of job growth in Ohio over the past decade is ranked 49th out 50 states, and the GDP growth of the state was 6th worst. What these numbers tell us is that companies don't want to open facilities in Ohio, even though there is ample workforce available. Why is this? Taxes and government bureaucracy are keeping businesses from coming to Ohio, and chasing away those that are here. Ohio needs to make it easier for companies to come here, and give them a reason to stay!